Monk was a first-round draft pick for Washington in 1980, helped the Redskins win three Super Bowls and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

For Alexander, getting enshrined in the college hall carried deep meaning.

Alexander left LSU in ‘78 as the Southeastern Conference’s career leader in rushing yards and touchdowns.

He was a first-round draft pick by Cincinnati, helped the Bengals reach a Super Bowl, but was never a serious candidate for induction to the professional hall.

The 56-year-old Alexander always longed for the college hall of fame to call, but he wondered if that day would come.

“I wasn’t a highly recruited kid coming out of high school,” Alexander said. “I didn’t start in high school until my senior year. I didn’t start at LSU until my junior year, so I just continued to work hard, but I didn’t get here alone. Great coaches at LSU and great teammates and a great offensive line that blocked for me.”

Casper, who helped Notre Dame beat Alabama for the 1973 national title, became a pro hall inductee and Super Bowl champion as an Oakland Raiders tight end. He still enjoys his lifelong affiliations with his alma mater.

“The good thing is I don’t have to go to purgatory for being on the national championship team,” Casper said, grinning. “Notre Dame takes care of my purgatory problem.”